First fire fee bills going out next month

July 30, 2012 5:50:50 PM PDT

Nearly a million rural Californians will begin receiving their first "fire fee" bills two weeks from Monday. The state expects to collect around $90 million to help pay for Cal Fire protection in some rural areas of the state.

The average bill is $150 per year. They'll be mailed out alphabetically by county.

Cal Fire says there are roughly 825,000 homes, barns, stables, and out-buildings in the 31 million acres covered by the fee.